UPDATE: Coach put on leave pending investigation

Published: Friday, February 8, 2013 at 12:02 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 8, 2013 at 9:50 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - Police detectives are working with the State Attorney's Office Crimes Against Children unit to investigate claims that an assistant football coach at Manatee High groped a girl, sent her inappropriate text messages and asked her to send him nude pictures of herself.

Manatee Hurricanes running backs coach Rod Frazier is the subject of an inquiry after a female student complained of improper touching.

HERALD-TRIBUNE ARCHIVE / THOMAS BENDER

The coach, Rod Frazier, 34, showed up for work at the school on Friday but was placed on paid administrative leave and sent home in the afternoon by Interim Superintendent David Gayler.

Detectives from the Bradenton Police Department interviewed the mother of the girl for about an hour Friday morning, and the girl was interviewed for an hour in the afternoon. The police plan to interview the girl again, her mother said.

“As a mother I'm hopeful that the Bradenton Police Department gets to the bottom of this,” the mother said. “But I'm still shocked that incidents that were reported a year or more ago are just now making their way to the Police Department to be investigated.

“I cannot believe that the school system, having knowledge of these incidents, would allow Frazier to have access to young girls.”

On Thursday, Frazier said he wouldn't comment. His attorney, Ed Mulock, who denied the accusations against his client on Thursday, did not return calls seeking comment Friday.

The girl making the allegations attended Manatee High as a sophomore and junior from 2010-12. She is not being identified due to the nature of the allegations.

She said in an interview with the Herald-Tribune that she was routinely called out of class by Frazier and was in his office more than 100 times, sometimes when other students were being disciplined. She said that a number of school employees routinely saw her in the office, and that she was once seen by a teacher after Frazier pulled her onto his lap.

The school district interviewed several teachers about Frazier's behavior on Nov. 15, but did not speak with the girl or her mother. Frazier was placed on leave for the day. He returned to school the following day and coached the team during a playoff game that night.

The girl was not interviewed until Jan. 10, the day after her mother said she handed Principal Don Sauer's secretary a letter her daughter had written.

The letter claimed that Frazier would hug her, rub her thighs and grab her behind.

Teachers and school administrators are required to call a state abuse hotline when they suspect the abuse of a child, but no such call was placed in this instance, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Children and Families said.

“I can say with certainty that we have not received a call about this case,” said DCF Press Secretary Erin Gillespie. “We are not currently doing an investigation.”

Schools attorney John Bowen and the board chair, Karen Carpenter, did not return calls Friday.

But Carpenter did release a statement on behalf of the board.

“The School Board of Manatee County is cooperating fully with an investigation of employee Rod Frazier by the Bradenton Police Department,” the statement read. It said Frazier would “remain on leave until such time as law enforcement advises.”

Board member Dave Miner said Friday that he thinks an emergency meeting is necessary.

“I really want to know who knew what, when and what did they do as soon as possible,” Miner said.

“I don't want to mess up the investigation or impede on anyone's rights, but I have a concern for the community.”

Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said his department also was never notified of the girl's claims, and only learned of them following media reports Thursday.

Radzilowski said that he called State Attorney Ed Brodsky on Friday to inform him of the matter, and that Brodsky is sending a prosecutor with the Crimes Against Children unit to help with the investigation.

Prosecutors with that unit typically help police with subpoenas, interview techniques and information gathering to help build a criminal case.

Police investigate student's complaint

Bradenton Police are on the campus of Manatee High School today investigating a student's complaint against assistant football coach Rod Frazier.

Detectives this morning interviewed the mother of a girl who claims Frazier touched her on the thigh and behind, sent her text messages, told her he loved her and asked for a naked photograph.

Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski confirmed that his detectives are investigating the case.

The police chief said his department will not be granting requests for interviews or television appearances.

He was not sure of the whereabouts of his detectives Friday morning, and could not confirm they were actually at the school.

Radzilowski said he does not track his staff's movements that closely.

School district never callled state abuse hotline

A state spokeswoman confirmed Friday that the school district of Manatee County never called the state abuse hotline while investigating Manatee High School football coach Rod Frazier for allegations of misconduct that included groping and asking a minor for a nude photograph.

“I can say with certainty that we have not received a call about this case,” said DCF Press Secretary Erin Gillespie. “We are not currently doing an investigation.”

While Gillespie said she did not have the authority to determine whether the school district committed a criminal act by not notifying the state of the investigation, she stressed that the law states the hotline must be called when there is reasonable suspicion of sexual contact between an adult and a child.

School attorney John Bowen and Board Chairman Karen Carpenter did not immediately return calls Friday. School board member Bob Gause declined to comment while the district's investigation is still active.

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